Sheet-feeding mechanism.



E. SL E. Kx NORTON.

SHEET Hmmm; Mmmmsm.

APPLICATION FILED DEG. 30, 1909` aezut e0. 2'?,

2 HEE'iSf--SHEET l.

' molten tin were v New York, have Improvements in ting thenee through the Vplatee will he more 'zi tin pot. having through Athe EDWIN NURTON AND EDW'IN KENNETH NQRN, G'E NEW' YQRK, N. Y.

SHEET-FEEBING MECHANISM.

mooie.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Application' ined necember so, 1909.' sei-nn no. 535.6%.

To all whom it may concern:

1 13e it known that. .ve5EnWm ioirronv and EDWIN lxnNNnri-i Nomen, citizens of the United States, residing at New York eity, in the county oi New York and State et invented new and useful Sheet-Feeding iieeh unisin, of which the following iso sl'ieeiiezition. Our invention'eonsists in for lantonintieelly delivering Sheets of steel in regnlar and nnitorin succession to :i tinningv pot., 'whereby the Sheets are pushed through thetlux hoi; lowninto the .molten nioiten tin upward into the hitte of the oil tinishing rolle7 whieh :ireloonteel in the oil pot nhove the molten tin. v v

By ineens of our invention the skilled tin 'man new employed nniy he diepensetl with and. the output of eoeh tinningl innehine moy he grentty increased; hy reason of the eontin'nons anti uniform Supply or Sheets, the oil iinihingjr rolls will he kept in proper Condition for finishing` the sheets, whereby the i nnitoriniy eoriteft enti their quality nnitfh iniprovetl,

Her-eroine it has heen oroiosetl to iro-` i l vide n. tin pot with one or more ineeinni'ieelly operatori swinging' puehers tor pushing the Sheets through vthe molten nietaih after they were placed in position hy the operatore; hut this deviee was not successful. There has also heen heretofore need to seine extent,

two or more pairs ot rolls und their geur wheels molten tin, to eonvey the-.sheets or steel tin, the sheets` heiiigdropped into the feed hopper oit the tin pot, from n tinxing machine located, above it. These vwere found unsatisfactory vbecause of: the

:fact'that the rolls and gears rnnning in the too eonipheeted and j pensive, and the use of -suehnioehines has also been abandoned.

4,5' know, all

'guide them with one hand, nvhile hy tjnning machines are now ted hv men, who' .place the Sheets in positioin und ineens of :i 'orkeel Stick, heldin vvthe other hand, they posh the wet sheets downthrough the hot ninrirrticv :reid tiuX-andthe molten tin, into .the bite of the oil nishing rolle, located in the open hottonrpahnfoil box (et the haelt of the rnazchinfe)` tienes or s ti'tefeg it.- is eaiie hy the WorkneW appui-littlev revolving in the,`

And 'so for es weV es the tin infin is' compelled to Stond almost. hrectly over' the nien, which rise in tiene@ elonels troni the .hearted linx, ne eneh wet sheet is plunged into it, it its p ietiezilly iniposeihle ior theni to Continue constantly feeding the ninehine, :is Athey ninfst stop frequently to gg'ett fresh oir; und :is :i reenlt ot' these conditions, it hes always been iinpossihie to Secure the ninxible output troni the tinning n1nyhen the snppiy ot sheets is thus ent ott troni the tinnetl oii tinishing rolls,

theyfreqnentiy 't ont or Condition; 2. e., covered i A*ith rhee oii, und. seroit', which, Corning; in Contact withv the Yvisites whieh follow, ermee 'mistei'e, or imperteetly eooterl ehe/ete, `which moet he Sold at n reduced price, ennoing gi-"nti loss. A con* tinndirf sup f ot sheets not only produces ronny more hovers ot' tin plete in :i doy, but

troni rosters mentioned.

retlnees the vlo or Y, .L n ,rneseeeiione kvreieeie, e nell :is otheie ose skilled ni the that will be apparent to tl nrt to which, oni' invention relei'feef7 nre entirely lone inn); with by the use ot our invention7 whit-h eoneiele in the combinert oil tinishing meehenifsnil. ot ine-:ins .rh rehy the pielile sheete tion' with n tin pr et Steel (nf'hieh nre or in e. teint; of water, to preserve their snrlfziee lroin or; it'ion) nmy he plneefft in enitnhle rermptneles in the teeeiing .ineelmniein hy n hoyV7 Who .Stands hoek oit the annie, ont of renee of the fumes i'ronl, the flux hex, :intl removes them one hy one, troni the `exeter hoi; for thatA pin-pose; the receptacle then mlvnneed intermittently from the il ding station. Carrying' the steel Sheets (pi "nrehly hyy n roterv movementoi the sheet eonveyingr or feeding@ devicel irte a position direetly over the flux box, which is supported :zloove the nioiten feeding'.

tin. While the sheet held hy the device in this position, one or more onshore, preferably of i flexible type, are ntlvoneefl from the bach of the sheet7 :intl engaging with the renr edge of seine, pneh itid down througli the lnX hex' und molten tin (the sheet hein-g' properly rlireetecl (hiring its passage hyzr curved Lguide Way, Whieh lends through the tin pot up to the oil finishing1 rolls) and into the hite of the lower pnir of the Said rolls, Whieh hy their rotary motion Withtlrniv they sheet from the postiers. :1nd carry it. forward up through :ill the noirs oit oilnishing rolls in the oil not. :init ttelivers them one hy one. to the riser. or entehei, who removes them troni the tinning meehe- "means tor advancing the pusher-'s at the l oil iinishing rolls in the oil pot, to the riser pot. Fig. 3 shows a plan view of the com-` 'next sheet in like manner.

material, such as' steel; being sccuredtheresat/9,549

nisin, and them to the cooling conveyer leading to the cleaning machine.

Qur invention further consists in the coinhination with a rotary delivery wheel, having suitable sockets,l properly dist-sneed apart, supporting and conveying the sheets, with means tor imparting an intermittent motion the' conveying Wheel, and one or more ilegtible pushers", located below the teedingin' station of the wheel, and

`roper time to ict the sheets from the "eed wheel, and deliver same through the flux and tin into and through the curved passage. provided for that purpose; and means' lor receiving the sheets from the pushers, and conveyinff them up through the or catcher, and -means for retracting the said pushers into position for advancing the Qur invention also consists in the combinationl with a sheet conveying device with one -or more pushers, for retracting the sheets from the conveying device, and deliv ering them into and thro/ugh a tinning pot., otineans ior reciprocating the pusher de vice, located below the plane of the feedingin station ot the conveying device; so as not to interfere With the feeding ot the sheets into the conveying device, or with the travel of the sheets from the feeding-in station to the point- Where the sheets are extracted by the pushers, and ted by them `into and through the tinning pot.

Our invent-ion is fully shown in the drawings herewith, in which the reference letters and numerals of the description indicate the corresponding parts in all figures.

Figure l shows a rear elevation of the complete machine. Fig. 2 is a side elevation of the complete machine, attached to the standard Jumbo tinning pot. vThe latter is cut through the line ,A A in F ig. 3,' to show4 clearly the path of the sheets through the plete machine attached tothe tin pot. Fig. 4 shows a detail view othe curved guide tracks with end ot' pusher. Fig. 5 shows detailz ot' triangular hub, With the arms attached. f Y

1n the figures, 1 indicates the frames," which are bolted together by means oi the pusher Wheel brachets'Q, and through which run separate shafts 3, on which are mounted" .the pusher wheels 1i. Around the periphery of these pusher wheels are wound the 'flexible pushers 5, of some iicxible or springy to in any suitable manner, the ends of which are forked G, .as in Fig. el. The pushcrs 5 are preferably connected in pairs by a brace 8, which cauws them to run parallel in the curved guido trachs the ends of the pushers which enter he molten tin may be tened, by screws, three arms suitably bent 13, so as to torni three slots 14, in the present case at an angle ot 1Q() degrees apart. These arms form the sheet conveying tingers, and comprise essentially the rotaryde- 'livery Wheel, mentioned in the foregoing description. On these fingers are fastened the tension springs 5G, which temporarily hold the sheet in position, until it 'is delivered by the feed Wheel at the feeding-in station, and acts as a trictional retard for the sheets, during the forward 4motion ot' the pushers. This method of construction of the fingers permits an easy alinement of the sheets with the pushers for operation in feeding the tinning pot.

rthe power is applied to the drive shaft 15, on which is mounted the index plate 16, which engages with the ste-p motion wheel 17, by means of roller. 18, Fig. Q. The step motion Wheel 17 being mounted on the. main shaft 10 imparts one sixth ot' revolution to the conveying lingers 13; thereby bringing one set of conveying fingers into position for the pushers to advance the sheet into the tin pot.; while at the same time bringing the adjoining pair of conveying.

fingers into position for charging. 1n this particular machine it is understood that the sheets are ted into the two sets of fingers alternately; but, as before mentioned, the machine can be adapted to the ordinary duplex or triple tin pot, with slight variations in construction, Without departing from the character of our invention. r

The mechanism for automatically advancing and retracting the flexible pushers consists ot tufo friction-clutch pulleys 19, mount edl side by side on the reversing shaft 20, and driven from the drive shaft l5, by pulleys 21 and 22, and belts 23 and 2li, one belt being crossed so that the clutches run in opposite directions.

Below the reversing shaftA 2.0, is located the cam shafti, on which is mounted the cani 26, which 'operates the double cone 27, sliding on the reversing shaft., by means ot a roller-.28, runningin the groove of the cam and attached tothe cone shifter yoke 2t), Fig. El, which is held in place by being mounted .on the4 fork bracket 30. shalt. is driven from the drive shaft by sprockets 31 and 32, and chain 83. pusher wheels aredriven from the reversing shait by sprockets 34, 35, 3G und 37, and chains 38 and 3f), the. latter chain being crossed, so as to enable one set of pusher wheels to be advanced, while the other set is being retracted.

The cani The rwhich is the molt 'l0 oil rests upon and ie el renie Val; W

5l, and 'fnlley in Fig. 1 C

'l while they are Stationary.

'llh'ese are chargedY with at the next forward iside' aclva sheet,- which has M been' tem 5 pnehers in the sheet guide' through Pinto le so conetructetl as directly in lirontoli' TWithout material alho. is the tin pot, in en tin fil, on which rests the acid or flux 422, contained Withinvthe linx box e3. flhe oil pot is Secured within the tin pot, but hei/lng no bottoni, the level of the tin comes inside theoil vpot. The palxn ipported by the molten lin. The oil nnishing rolls il? with their mountingeE run .in the oil. lllil'hin the flux box secured the curved Sheet Yguide 46, which n nnle insections, to facilite te hen .it is necessary to .clean ont @ne automatic feeder to allow ne to place it the ordinary tin pots, teratione thereto.

the pet.

The curved guide tracks 9,'in Fig. fi, are constructed el some suitable material, pref` erably band steel, or iron.- Two strips are 20 Ascrewed onto separating piece e?, which foi-ins the slot inv 'Ehe curved olf the tin n pusher which the pushers travel. guides are 'fastened to the top ot by the bracket 4:8, and to the Wheel 'bracket 3, and lie close to the 2'5 periphery of the' pusher Wheels, so as 'to forni continuons paeeage, in which the .pushers tra-Vel. The tie rofl l?) assists in holding the frames together. rllhe tinning` rolls lare driven from the worin and Wheel The auto feeder may be driven reni the worin shaft by pulley 53 and belt 541, connecting to. drive ,shaft l5, by pulley 55'. .ln Fig. 3,

@heet o 20x28 ingers ait Athe The dotted lines repreate the position of the sheet stroke of the pnshers, and n showethe'saine sheet entering the bite et" the "rol plate, 'inserted between the charging station. sented by C inflic at the end or the ls. 4 The 'operation of the machineV is as follows:-The operator places a sheet between the conveying lingers on the right 4sicle,A 'lhe coiweying nng'ers then make one sixth of a revolution,

' bringing the next pair of lingers; on the atlioining .sicle into the stationary position. a sheet of steel, enel 'motion of the feed jvheel. anothersheet is placed in the adjoining pair of lingers.; and so on, the operetor lkeeping" rthe feed. `Wheels; constantly full;

L there being'alw'ays four Sheets' in their re- Speetiife positions, and one sheet being lerl inte the tinningpot by ineens of the pnshlll" hen vthe'jsheet reaches the Jfeedingin Stat-ion, thefirst set ofpnshers on the rilght nce-*and 'push from the slot the 'Y i porarily held in place, by the sp1-linge"i361*whichl are fastened t y# iejemls ofthe lingers by screws, as leeeriheil. :The sheet is followed down byfthe y the lian @een een? e e@ the dotted lines represented byfv ,35 Bindicate the position of a i i f of operationv they can not be.

te ef the! enti. wishing tien to be and molten tin, the

or thoee iii-Which two or more sheets are fed alternately through. oil finishing rolls of suitable length to operate on them side by Side.

-When the principle and operation ol our automatic feeder is made known to those Skilled in the are no invention ierequired'to inake the slight mechanical changes neccsfiery to adept it to any oi the typesl of tinning1 n'iachines non" in use. By our invention, the cost of tinning is reduced, there is no necessity for enniloyingv Skilled workmen; as a boy or girly by means of our automat-ic feeding (le-- rice, can tin-n ont nnica more finished proclnct in egh'en time, than the best ol skilled Worlnnen, operating in the usual Way, feeding, by henri'. And the operators are protectefl from theinjurious fumes of the linx, which it is: well known by the present means;

. By the use of our flexible pushers, which advance ina cin'vetl track to push the sheets toi-ward one by one into the tin pot, all necessity for leefl rolls running in the molten tin avoided, and as they operate' to feeil the sheets following` each. other closely` there is' no 'time lost, in hand feeding, and thereby the quantity of plate produced on each machine in a given time in greatly increased.

@or automatic feeder is ing sheets of steel, wood, Wherever a continuous 'su Wielilly sheets is required n given point, with m-ecisi qniteas Welles for fe steel into a tin plate coetinginachine.

. f So ar as We know, there iS no Successful mechanical feeder for tinnlate machines, in use at the present ti1ne,a(lapted to operate in connection with, the tinning' machines in coininon nee.A All are i'etlby Skilled Workmen, esdescribecl.'

`While We consider described for ,feeding pushed lflown through theflnx box best that can bensed for that nnrpoSe-g and whilewe consider the flexible nushers for extrectingthe sheets one after. another from thegeecling' mechanism t and accurately adapted lo feedpaper, or the like, ppl'. of large unto be delivered at on and regularity, eding such Sheets 0l the. means; shown an rl ieni positively icc through the tin pot, which feeding mechanism is timed in unison with the speed el the oil iinishing rolls in the oil pot, the best and most simple construction for the purpose, it is obvious that both these features may be varied mechanically without departing from the spirit or character of our invention, and We do not wish to be limited to the exact means shown and described tor performing these important functions, unless the state of the art discloses the tact that We are not entitled to the broadest construction of our invention and claims.

Having' thus described our invention, what we claim is, y

l. In a machine of vthe character described.v the combination With a suitable socket :t'or receiving each, sheet, of a curved guide therefrom and alfiexiblc pusher tor advancing the sheet through the socket and thence through the guide.

In a plate tinning machine, the combination with tinning rolls, of radially estending arms suitably journaled and spaced tor receiving the sheets between them, and ineans tor rotating the arms intermittently, combined with means tor delii'ering the sheets from the arms to the rolls. i

2". ln a plate tinning machine, the combination With tinning rolls, of radially extending arms suitably journaled and spaced to form sockets for receiving the sheets, retaining springs on said arms for engaging the sheets in the sockets, means torvoperating the arms intermittently to bring the sheets into 'delivery' position and means tor advancing the sheets from the arms to the rolls.

il. in a plate tinningmacl'iine the combination with tinning rolls, of radially ex tending arms suitably gournalcd, said arms.

being arranged in pairs and spaced to torni sockets for receiving the sheets, means for operating the arms intermittently to bring the sheets into position of delivery, and means for advancing the sheets't'rom the arms to the rolls.

5. ln a machine'ot' the character described the combination with tinning rolls and with a pot for molten tin and tor a [lux bath, of a suitable standard, a series ot sockets ljournaled on the standard for re.- ceiving plates insuccession, means for rotating the sockets intermittently, a -guidc from the end' otthe socketsjn delivery position through the flux bath and the molten tin totherrolls,pushers, and means for reciprocating the pnshers rst to push the [sheets forward to,..the'bit'e of the .rolls and then to retract the pushers to vengage with a 6. In a machine of the character. described the combination with a pot for molten' tin and for a linx bath and -Withtinning rolls, oit a suitable.` standard, a series o sockets journaled on the standard for rcceiving sheets in succession and transferring them one by one from receivingl position `to delivering position, a curved guide extending trom the socket in the delivering position down through the flux bath and the molten tin and up 'ardly to the rolls, iexibl pushers, and means for reciprocating the. pushers first to push the sheets forward to the bite ot' the rolls and then to retract the pushcrs in position to engage with a new sheet.

7. In a machine of the .charactert described, the combination with a tinningpot i for molten tin and means for receiving 30 sheets, said means having a delivery fend, i of actuating means for operating said'receiving means to bring the sheets into de livery position, a guide from the delivery end of the receiving means in delivery position extending through the tin, pushers to engage the sheets near both sides, said pusher-s being formed of a single flat piece .orl llexible metal having a forked end, and means for actuating the pushers to pushthe sheets through the guide, said last means being arranged below the plane of the feed ing-in position of the sheets to the receivingmeans.

S. ln a machine ot the character del scribed, the combination with tinning rolls and means tor receiving metallic sheets, of means ope ating said receiving means to bring the sheets into position ot' delivery, l'lexible pushers provided with bifurcated. 10o ends to engage the sheets and with marginal portions littcd to guides, guides for said marginal portions, and means for actuating the pushers to advance the sheets from said receiving means to the rolls.

9. ln a machine ot the character described, the combination with tinning rolls and with a pot for molten tin and for .afftiux bath, of a suitable standard, radially extending arms journalcd on the standard, said arms being arranged .in pairs and spaced to xterm sockets tor receiving sheets, the sockets so formed being oppositely'- arranged to engage the; sidcs ot said sheets, means tor rotating the, sockets intermittently to transfer thevsheets 1,355 from a receiving position'to a delivering po-l sition, a curved guide extending from. the sockets in delivering position down through the linx bath and the molten tin and up-v n'ardly to the rolls, pushers, and means'for'12o reciprocating the pushers, first to push the. sheets forward to the bite of the rolls and .then to retract, said latter means being ar.

ranged below the plane of the feeding-in position et' the sheets to the sockets.

lO.`ln a plate tin'ning machine, the com-` bination with tinning rolls and a tinning pot ior .molten tin and tor a flux bath and a suitable standard, ot' radially extending arms suitably journaled on the standard, said Cri ' guide extending 'troni said arms being arranged in pairs and spaced to .t'orm sockets 'or receiving metallic sheets7 the sockets being oppositeli/ arranged to engage the sides of the sheets7 retaining springs carried on the'ends of said arms for engaging with the sheets and reterding their Withdrawal from the sockets, means 'or rotating the sockets intermittently to bring the sheets into an 'inclined deli.'ery position, a eurved b il delivery position down through the tlnX bath and the molten 'tin and upwardly to the rolls, pushers and means for reciprocating the pushersgrst to push the sheets forward to the bite of the rolls and then to retract the pushers to en-v gage with a new sheet.

ll. ,ln a machine ot' the character described, the combination with a tinning pot for molten tin and finishing' rolls suitably journaled above the tin, ol a guide extending downwardly into the tin aud then upwardly toward the rolls, suitable socket adapted to receive a single sheet only, a pusher to advance the sheet through the socket and thence through the guide to the rolls, and means to operate the pusher.

l2. In a plate tlnning machine, the combination with a tiiming pot and Vfinishing rolls, otl a guide extending downwardlyr into the pot and then upwardly toward the rolls, a series of movable sockets each adapted to receive a single sheet, means to bring the sockets in turn into alinement with the guide, and moans to advance the sheet through the socket to the guide and through the guide to the rolls.

i 13. Jvii-device for feeding metal plates to a, tinning machine, including in combination a frame, naides mounted on said frame and projecting into the tinning pot on which the plates rest and are moved? a pusher carried Aby said frame and having means for engaging and pushing a plate along said guides into and through the tinning .p ot,-means guides for engaging said pusher adjacent its l l l free end for guides.

14. A device for feeding metal plates to a tinning machine including in combination, av frame, guides mounted on said frame and projecting' into the tinning pot on which tie plates rest and are moved7 means for temporarily holding the plates on. said guides, a pusher carried by said frame and having means for engaging and pushing a plate along said guides and through the tinning pot, means mounted on said trarne for reciprocating said pusher, and means extending along said guides for engaging said pusher adjacent its free end, along said guides.

l5. A device for feeding metalv plates to a guiding the same alongsaid tinning machine including in combinatiom curved guides extending into? the tinning pot on which the plates rest and are moved, means for temporarily holding said plates on said guides, and a flexible pusher having means on its free end for engaging and pushn ing a plate along said curved through the tinning pot, means connected to the other end ot' said flexible pusher for reciprocating the same, and means extending along said guides for engagirgsaid pusher adjacent; its free end, Vfor gui ing the same along said guides.

In testimony whereof We have signed our names to this specification in the presence of two subscribing Witnesses.

EDWIN NORTON.

EDWIN KENNETH N GRTON Witnesses H. I. Bou/Nn, E. A. AssMANN.

for guiding the sameguides into and 

